Tortillas made fresh daily just one reason this New City taqueria won our food poll

Jeanne Muchnick, Rockland/Westchester Journal News
·1 min read

Craft Taqueria in New City has Rockland's favorite tacos, at least according to lohud readers.

The New City eatery came out tops in our lohud poll with 50.5% of the vote. El Cuñao, with locations in Nyack and Valley Cottage, was the closest contender with 35.4%. Others in the running included Cielito Lindo in Valley Cottage, Taco Boys in Nyack, Sangria's in Congers, and Tacos Marianita in Haverstraw.

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Craft Taqueria Chef/Owner Jeff Kreisel, with his fresh-from-the-oven strawberry rhubarb pie. Though tacos are his focus, he also offers a lot more including housemade Oreos and granola. Photographed June 8, 2022.
Craft Taqueria Chef/Owner Jeff Kreisel, with his fresh-from-the-oven strawberry rhubarb pie. Though tacos are his focus, he also offers a lot more including housemade Oreos and granola. Photographed June 8, 2022.

Craft Taqueria chef and owner Jeff Kreisel, a Johnson and Wales grad, said what makes his tacos special is the fact that he makes his own tortillas fresh throughout the day, using high quality maize.

He also uses a lot of sustainable agriculture and local ingredients in making his tacos — he generally has eight on the menu as well as three as specials.

Not your ordinary cauliflower tacos: The ones from Craft Taqueria in New City are made with yogurt and Meyer lemon marinated cauliflower, roasted piquillo pepper romesco, toasted almonds, golden raisins, and fresh herbs. Photographed June 8, 2022.
Not your ordinary cauliflower tacos: The ones from Craft Taqueria in New City are made with yogurt and Meyer lemon marinated cauliflower, roasted piquillo pepper romesco, toasted almonds, golden raisins, and fresh herbs. Photographed June 8, 2022.

Everything — not just the tacos — is made from scratch.

That includes menu items like watermelon salad, watermelon agua fresca, Vidalia onion rings and a host of desserts such as strawberry rhubarb pie, housemade churros, housemade Oreos and flan. The fast casual restaurant also makes its own granola (used in the streusel on the pie) as well as a host of entrees such as sautéed shrimp and chorizo and Black Angus skirt steak.

Diners will also find beer, wine and housemade sangria.

The exterior of Craft Taqueria in New City is all about tacos. Photographed June 8, 2022.
The exterior of Craft Taqueria in New City is all about tacos. Photographed June 8, 2022.

But the key ingredient to winning reader's hearts, said Kreisel, is his team. "I work all day and everyday — and they do too," he said. "They’re just as passionate as I am and I think that positive environment translates to each taco."

Jeanne Muchnick covers food and dining. Click here for her most recent articles and follow her latest dining adventures on Instagram @lohud_food or via the lohudfood newsletter. 

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: New City taqueria takes top honors as Rockland's favorite tacos